Buccaneers Hesitant on Revis Deal

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 23: Darrelle Revis #24 of the New York Jets celebrates a fourth quarter interception against the San Diego Chargers at MetLife Stadium on October 23, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

(Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

It’s been an ongoing saga for the past few weeks.

Will the Buccaneers trade for one of the NFL’s best defensive players in Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis?

Well, the interest is there from the Buccaneers stand point. Bucs general manager Mark Dominik has had countless opportunities to deny interest in the star cornerback, but instead, has praised the value of the position.

“They’re really hard to find,” Dominik said of elite cornerbacks at the Owner’s meetings on Monday, “and that makes them an interesting commodity. We go into the draft every year and everybody thinks maybe that’s the guy, but there’s very few of them. When they come out, it’s pretty noticeable who they are.”

“That’s why so many corners go in the first round every year, because you’re trying to find that guy who can help you take away a portion of (the opposing) offense.”

The Bucs might ultimately have to decide if their 1st round selection this year is more valuable than a 4-time pro bowl cornerback and former defensive player of the year.

Apparently, that decision has not been finalized yet.

I received a phone call yesterday from a source on the Buccaneers side who said that unless the Jets lower their high demands, meaning to stop asking for a first round selection in 2013, a deal would likely never get done.

Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com heard similar rumblings from the Owner’s meetings in Phoenix, AZ.

The biggest takeaway from our first full day at the league meetings in Phoenix is that, with the Jets and Buccaneers taking strong opposing positions as to the trade value of one of the best defensive players in football, the Buccaneers are close to moving on. The belief is that the Jets want a package headlined by a first-round pick, and that the Buccaneers are willing to part with, at most, a 2014 first-round selection.

Florio went on to say that the Buccaneers could move on to “Plan B” which would be to sign former Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes to a contract, eliminating the Bucs from any future trade discussions with the Jets. Florio says the Buccaneers have been in contact with Grimes and are “talking.”

I have since found out that the Buccaneers are also showing a lot of interest in former Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn. Sources from both sides have said there is interest in each other. Munnerlyn confirmed this on his twitter account on Monday when a Bucs fan asked him if the Bucs had shown interest in him. Munnerlyn’s response was simply one word, “yes.”

There has been some debate recently of the cap hit that the Jets would take if Darrelle Revis is traded away before June 1st. This is another decision the Jets would have to make. If I were the Jets new general manager and I was looking to rebuild an organization run to the ground, I would much rather take the full cap hit in 2013 rather than spread the cap hit over 2013 and 2014, especially if Revis would have been off the books anyway in 2014 due to his contract expiring.

This is simply a fact of whether the Jets want any compensation for Revis or if they’re prepared to let him walk and get nothing in return. I have a hunch the cap hit for 2013 has little to do with a trade due to the Jets probably seeing themselves struggling in 2013 anyway.

If the Bucs do in fact pull out of trade discussions with the Jets for Darrelle Revis, the Jets would be left with the possibility of no trade partners and the realization that Revis might leave after his contract ends in 2014, leaving the Jets with nothing in return.

The pressure has now fallen squarely on new Jets general manager John Idzik. If the Jets hope to get anything for Revis, they must lower their demands now and get a trade finalized or they might find themselves without any compensation for one of the league’s best players.

For updates on the Buccaneers off-season moves in free agency and the NFL Draft, be sure to follow Justin Pawlowski and 98.7 The Fan on twitter.